Repeat and Repeat

Do you ever get tired or frustrated with having to repeat the same thing over and over to your children so they will grasp your words? My child is grown and no longer lives at home, but I remember having to repeat myself often. In today’s world, I may still have to repeat myself, but that would be because the hearing aid is not turned up loud enough. 

     Getting back to repeating! In my Daily Hope devotional this morning, the author stated that “there are 365 ‘fear not’ verses in the Bible.”  Yesterday, I did a search on Google and found several who stated there are “sixteen verses with ‘I am with you’ or ‘I will be with you,’ or ‘God will be with you’” or similar statements.” 

     I have to say that God is my Father, and I am very sorry that He has to continually repeat Himself to get my attention. However, I am, also, so very glad He does. I know God repeats Himself because I am constantly pulled back from my sinful ways to Him. He sees! He knows! He holds me tight! 

     I am a constant sinner who knows, “God is always with me,” and I “fear not” because He is!

I Am With You

One of my favorite thoughts that takes me through the day is “This is the day the Lord hath made, rejoice and be glad in it.” Why shouldn’t I be glad, because God is with me! Knowing God is with me absolutely makes my day. 

     How many times does God say, “I am with you” or God will be with you?” I didn’t do the count but one or two researchers said it was sixteen.

 

     Regardless, my verse for today will be from Isaiah 41:10

 

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

 

Rudeness

I was just thinking this morning about my knee-jerk reactions. I am like most folks when grumbled at, I grumble back. When faced with a rude person, I instantly want to be rude right back. However, that is not what God desires to see in my daily character. I have to be alert. So, what should I do when people are rude? I have to keep in mind they may have troubles I do not know about or can even comprehend.

 

R aise the bar- give them a smile

U ndo their influence – stay happy 

D o the unexpected -wish them a better day

E ven the score is not my job- keep that in mind – pray for them

 

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding." Proverbs 3:13 KJV 

 

Women of Mention

Women have a place in everyday simple places - in the home, in the workplace, and in the church. So, I thought I might talk about them just a bit. 

“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’” Luke 1:38

 

“And then as a widow (Anna) until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” Luke 2:37 

 

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church...for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well” Romans 16:1,2b

 

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life.” Romans 16:3a

 

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia...a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Acts 16:14 

 

Women of Mention

 

We all know about Mary. How she was chosen to bare the Messiah!

And how she said, “I am a servant of the Lord; let it be.” 

She was obedient to God, you see.

Then there is Anna, a widow until she was eighty-four. 

She didn’t leave the temple but fasted and prayed day and night.

She gave thanks and spoke of Jesus to those at the temple door.

 Martha and Mary were two different talented sisters.

Both were eager to welcome Jesus as a guest into their home.

One wanted to clean- The other to give full attention to their guest.

There’s a purpose to both, but consider what Jesus expressed. 

There is no discounting Phoebe, a servant of the church.

She was a patron of many and of Paul, as well. 

Then there is Prisca who journeyed with her husband, risking her neck, for the ministry they had to tell. 

Lydia was a seller of purple goods and a woman of faith.

She offered her home for Christians to stay during her day.

Rich or poor, women have a place; 

Gifts upon them God has graced.

There is purpose within His intent,

And they’re flavored with a delicate scent.

 

Be Happy! Laugh Hard!

     There are several verses on “a merry heart.” Today, as in every day, I strive to find laughter! I believe it is a weapon with healing power! Better than vitamins! I invite all my readers to strive to find joy and laughter, for “Today is the day the Lord has made.” 
 

Following are a few good verses on “a merry heart.”
  Proverbs 17:22a “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”
  Proverbs 15:15b “He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” 
  Proverbs 15:13a “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.” 

 

     Laughter and joy seem to go hand-in-hand. Aside from the verses above, I also found a few good quotes of interest. 

 

“We don’t laugh because we’re happy – we’re happy because we laugh.” – William James
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”- Charlie Chaplin
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” -Victor Hugo
“Joy is God’s smile; love is God’s laughter.” – John O’Donahue
“Your body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy.” – Catherine Ripperger Fenwick 
“To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it.” -Charlie Chaplin
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” – George Bernard Shaw 
“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” Mark Twain
 

 

 

Catch and Release

 In the world of fishing, there is a “Catch and release” and a “No fishing” ordinance. Both can be good. To look at life in a similar way, we all sin and feel guilt. When we confess our sin, God forgives us. He has put it away. So if we “Catch” our sin and confess, we need to “Release” it and observe the “No fishing” sign to prevent us from pulling it back in and dwelling on it. 

     Does that make sense?  

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Pierced! Crushed! Wounded!

My verse for today comes from Isreal 53:5-6 NIV version, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” 

 

     Verse 6 answers the reason for His pierced body, His crushed body, and His wounds. We are straying sheep.  Jesus took our sins on Himself. What a wonderful Lord we have!

 

     I add to this just a few more thoughts of what Jesus does for me every day. 

Jesus was pierced.     

   Why? To indwell inside a wandering sheep like me.            

Jesus was crushed.    

   Why? To rescue a sinner like me. 

Jesus was wounded.  

   Why? To save, from death, me so I can live with Him forever.

 

Praise His Holy Name!

Stuck

Have you ever been stuck? I got stuck one time in a mud hole. The car would not not go forward, and it would not go backward so matter how I gunned the engine. It took another truck to pull me out. What a relief that was!

     There are other ways of being stuck. Stuck in anger, stuck in resentment, stuck in the humdrum of life, stuck in loneliness...does this ring a bell? It often takes something or other to pull you out. Often that something can just be “you” or better yet, a relationship with God.

     It may take a change of “thinking”- or a change by getting out of “self” into someone else to get “unstuck.”

     When I find myself about to get stuck, I like to, first, pick up my Bible and talk to the One who is always there. God goes before! His guidance pulls me out of the mire. After that I like to “get busy,” and/or think about doing something for someone else.

     I like James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” With God, there is peace, and there is no need to feel “stuck.” in life.

     

On Stage

It was Shakespeare who quoted, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” This covers a lot in life, from birth to death. Yet, it is up to me to choose what I want to display on stage. 

 

S eek Satan’s ways or Seek God’s ways 

T hink negative or Think positive  

A ct out or Act righteously and meekly

G ain earthly approval or Gain God’s approval 

E mbrace idolatry or Embrace God 

 

“Scene 1 -Act – Cut” ... What will be seen on stage?

 

SIN

     Sin is a part of my weakness. I am so glad and praise God for being a forgiving God. 

     I remembered Peter this morning in his denial. Jesus had already predicted that Peter would deny him three time before the cock crows. It suddenly dawned on me that Jesus knows my sin before I even sin, yet He loves me still- before, during, and after.

   S ees

   I t 

   N ow, before, and after 

That’s what God does!

Height and Depth

 

It surpasses my comprehension of

how deep and wide, 

wide and deep -

is God’s love for me

I cannot grasp 

the breadth and length,

 height and depth -

of His love for me.

Yet, I know I am rooted and grounded, 

grounded and rooted - 

In God’s great love.

You see

I am written,

 graven,

inscribed,

imprinted, 

tattooed,

engraved

marked

on the palm of my Lord’s hand.

It happened 

when the nails pierced His palms,

when I believed.

when I accepted.

You see

 I am made whole -

A child of Christ!

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 7/16/2026 

 

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and ground in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 ESV

 

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16 ESV

 

 

The Invisible - The Unbelievable - The Impossible!

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."  Quote by Corrie ten Boom

God is the invisible. We see Him through His creation, through His works, and through His grace.

God has done and will do the unbelievable. An example is the Christ who came in love to die for me, a sinner.

God gives the impossible. Events occur every single day that would be impossible by man.

A New Song

Often when I wake it is just not one of those, instant wake up, get up moments. I am sleepy, I am listless, I just have no “get up and go.” I suppose this is one of those mornings in which I need a “new song,” a “new skip to my step”, and a “new get up and go.” 

     Therefore, I look to the One who can do that. Psalm 40:3 says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our (my) God.” 

     What am I to do with this new song? 

     Scripture takes it a step further, Psalm 98:1 says , “Make a joyful noise to the Lord.”

     With that comes my new lift, my new step, and my renewed desire to “get up and go” with a joyful heart. 

 

Thank you, God for the newness of the day!

Feasting or Fasting!

 Feasting or Fasting-- is there anything in common?

I can fast and pray to hear from God.

I can feast on scripture and pray to hear from God. 

Matthew Five

Matthew 5 is loaded with really good stuff! First, there are the Beatitudes:

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and those who are reviled because of their love for Christ.

 

Next there is what we should be: The salt of earth and the light of the world. As salt, we should not lose our flavor. As light, we should not hide it under a bushel.

 

There is deeper meaning given and what our reaction should be on: anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love for enemies.

 

Then there is verse 44, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

 

Why? Is it because we, as Christians, are doing more than what others do!

 

A final example: verse 45, God “makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends the rain on the just and the unjust.”

By The Book

In our church service this past Sunday, the pastor talked about what God intended when we were born. He stated we were “born to believe, obey, overcome, and love.” This led me to my word of the day which is Book. I simply changed love to keep, because if we keep God’s commands, we will love. Following is my summary:

 

B elieve in Jesus and be saved

O bey God’s commands

O vercome the world by following God’s instructions

K eep God’s laws and love God and others

 

If I follow the above, I will have written a good Book of my life’s earthly brief journey and ready myself for my heavenly everlasting journey. However, the one sure way to prepare and get ready for eternal life is to believe. If we believe, we will overcome. If we believe, we will obey. If we believe, we will keep God’s laws and love as we should. 

 

Never forget the verse from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

 

 

Good Always, Always Good

During creation, God looked at His work and said, “It is good.” In Romans 8:28 we find that “for those who love God all things work together for good.” 

     Not all of life is good. There is going to be some bad, but the good overrules. I must remember that the bad is there to help me grow and ready me for the good to come. I love the phrase, “God is good all the time. All the time, God is good."

     Therefore, my word of the day is Good.

 

G od first in every day.

O ffer thanks to God. Thank Him “Before” and thank Him “After”.

O vercome the bad with God’s help, for He is with me.

D aily, hourly seek God in every situation.

Freedom Rings!

I posted this morning early, but as I was reading through a few previous writings, I found this poem and thought it very appropriate for the 4th of July weekend. I hope you enjoy!

Freedom Rings!  

In America and around the globe, 

He lives!

From the mountain top so steep,

Beneath the ocean deep,

From the earth’s core,

Through heaven’s door,

He lives!

 

In America and around the globe,

He lives! 

From shore to shore, 

Across the plains to desert’s floor,

From coast to coast,

From pillar to post,

He lives!

 

In America and around the globe,

He lives! 

From morning till night,

Through day’s rainfall and light,

Reigning beyond the sky,

Blinded from human eye, 

He lives!

 

In America and around the globe,

Let Him reign;

Shout His name!

Jesus lives! 
Because of Him, 
Freedom rings.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  

 

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  

Galatians 5:1 KJV

Today-Be Glad

Today is the 5^th of July, not the 4^th or the 1^st, or even the 30^th. Yet, it is a day like all the rest. It is “the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

     Rejoice and be glad- and praise God for the day. 

 

Be glad, why?

 

G od holds me in the palm of His hand.              (Rejoice in faith)

L et go and let God have control.                       (Believe in faith)

A ll is in God’s hands. He owns it all.                  (Praise in faith)

D o all to the glory of God and rejoice in it.      (React in faith)

 

Truth and July 4th

My word for today is “truth.”

 

T ruth comes from God

R est is found in Truth 

U nderstanding comes by knowing God’s Truth

T ruth in found by trusting in God

H onesty and Honor comes with Truth

I didn’t choose to post about Independence Day on this the 4^th of July, but I wish all my readers “A very happy 4th of July day” and be safe. Remember that this "July 4th is the day the Lord hath made. Be glad and rejoice in it."

"Peace I Give"

My verse for today is from John 14:27 ESV

 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” 

 

My word for today is “peace.”

 

P ass the hours in prayer 

E mbrace God’s presence

A ct as Jesus did 

C ease fear through faith 

E rase an unforgiving heart  

Surrender

My scripture verse for today is, “And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great and commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 ESV

 

To love God 1^st and foremost, I have to spend time in the scriptures and get to know Him. 

I also have to surrender:

 

Surrender to Him

Surrender my heart

Surrender my time

Surrender my love

Surrender my life

Surrender my selfish desires

 

“God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.”